OMI News

Minister launches new Strategic Plan for 2009 - 2013

In Western Australia we have the highest proportion of people born overseas of all Australian State and Territories, with over 200 cultural groups and nearly 300 languages.

The State Government takes pride in our cultural diversity and welcomes the opportunity to plan for a future which captures the potential of multiculturalism. The Strategic Plan 2009-13 is the blueprint for achieving this potential.

The Strategic Plan has been developed through community consultation, research and feedback.

People across metropolitan and regional Western Australia have asked for government services which are contemporary and flexible enough to meet the needs of all community members, delivered by staff that are culturally competent and reflect the cultural diversity of their clients.

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities have asked for facilitation between government and non-government services, advocacy on their behalf, capacity building to increase participation, respectful engagement and community education about the benefits of cultural diversity.

On behalf of the State Government, I believe we have listened to these needs and reflected them in this plan. Western Australians can create a society based on opportunity and prosperity by empowering people from all over the world and bringing them together economically, socially and culturally.

L-R: Jim Quintela, Honorary Consul of Spain, Hon G M (John) Castrilli MLA,
Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests,
Irene Baez, Producer Frecuencia Latina, LACA Radio program and
Carlos Moncada, Honorary Consul of Chile at the launch of the Strategic Plan

The Strategic Plan is a commitment to all Western Australians and represents a clear direction for the Office of Multicultural Interests for the next five years.

As part of the Department for Local Government, the Office of Multicultural Interests is here to serve you and meet your needs through leadership, consultation, innovation and professionalism. The Strategic Plan will be reviewed annually and the Office of Multicultural Interests shall be accountable for ensuring that objectives of the plan are realised.

I look forward to working with all Western Australians to achieve this new vision and in launching the OMI Strategic Plan 2009-13, I commend the document to you.

Hon G M (John) Castrilli MLA
MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT; HERITAGE;
CITIZENSHIP AND MULTICULTURAL INTERESTS

Click below to open a printable A4 PDF version of the Strategic Plan
Office of Multicultural Interests Strategic Plan 2009 - 2013

In November 2008, OMI invited public comment on its Strategic Plan for 2009-2013.
A report which provides a summary and analysis of the feedback received during the consultation process was produced.
Please click here to view the report.

Click here to read the Minister’s Media statement "New multicultural strategic plan launched"

Discrimination alive and well in the private housing rental market

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Equal Opportunity Commissioner, Yvonne Henderson, recently launched a report on an inquiry into whether people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and Aboriginal people were being discriminated against on the basis of their race in the private housing rental market.

Ms Henderson said submissions told of agents who did not distribute tenancy applications to people from minority racial backgrounds at rental ‘home opens’.

National databases of tenants, or blacklists, used by real estate agents to identify ‘risky’ tenants, are secretive, can permit illegal discrimination and it is difficult and costly for tenants to correct inaccurate entries about themselves.

“In a competitive rental market, people from minority ethnic backgrounds are even more vulnerable,” Ms Henderson said.

The report makes wide-ranging recommendations to redress the balance for tenants.
Including that residential databases maintained by the real estate industry are fair and do not contain information which is inappropriate. It also recommends that all those operating in the industry be trained in equal opportunity law as a condition of their licenses.

Ms Henderson said it is also very important that tenants, especially those recently arrived in Australia, are given support to understand the laws and practices of tenancy contracts and be able to access the dispute resolution system.

A full copy of the report and its recommendations is available at: www.eoc.wa.gov.au

Ethnic organisations’ grants announced

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister John Castrilli today announced the successful recipients of triennial funding through the reinvigorated Ethnic Organisations Fund grant scheme.

Housing Discrimination & Making a Complaint

Saturday, June 13, 2009

This two day course will provide participants with skills for assisting private and public housing tenants make complaints about discrimination

Focus on Public Sector Substantive Equality Reform

Saturday, June 13, 2009

The State Government’s approach to substantive equality reform in the Public Sector was explained at a recent community forum attended by around 100 community and service organisation representatives.

Southeast Corridor CaLD Youth and Sport Recreation Program

Thursday, June 04, 2009

The State Government has funded Communicare to run a sport and recreation program for Youth from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) backgrounds in the Perth South East Corridor.


	Community Grants Program
	Ethnic Youth at Risk
	Anti-Racism Strategy
	Racism in Schools Project